Don’t Count Mead Out

From his overlook at Whitworth College, Pat Tyson spied an ex-Mead runner well ahead of the pack and four, orange-clad Lewis and Clark runners cemented in the top seven.

Could the unfolding events spell the end to Mead’s decade-long stranglehold in Greater Spokane League cross country?

Do elephants fly?

Tyson’s Troops hung together Wednesday to sweep a season-opening, four-way boys GSL meet on their revamped home course.

For the record, second-ranked Mead hasn’t dropped a GSL meet since 1987.

Near the halfway point of the 3.1-mile race, however, Mead expatriate Tom Becker, now of Mt. Spokane High, owned a huge lead and LC held down positions 4-7.

But by the time the runners had scaled the steep, course-ending hill - longer this year because schools across the state are switching from 3 miles to 5,000 meters - enough bright yellow Mead jerseys had switched places with LC orange for a 22-35 Panthers edge. Mead’s fifth and final scoring runner, Matt Utley, crossed before LC’s No. 4.

“Who needs invitationals,” Tyson asked the surrounding pines, “when you have GSL meets like this week after week?”

Tyson could well afford to ask, since his Panthers meet third-ranked Ferris in six days, top-ranked University on Oct. 15 and fourth-ranked Gonzaga Prep the week after.

Mead has won nine consecutive GSL and state championships, but this season should be Tyson’s biggest challenge. For one, his projected No. 1 runner, Becker, Wednesday’s winner in 16 minutes, 43 seconds, was part of the Mead contingent sent to the league’s new school, Mt. Spokane. For another, even local cross country veterans need to be introduced to the 1997 Panthers.

Outside of No. 1 Chris Deulen and state veteran Josh McLellan, who finished 2-3 in 17:11 (Deulen) and 17:12, these are young Cats. It’s the kind of team in which someone such as Jon Houk, who claimed third place at last Monday’s Churchill Challenge at Eugene, Ore., can finish behind Utley, who ran junior varsity at the same race.

“They’re kind of flip-flopping around,” Tyson said.

Becker enjoyed plowing past his old teammates, but hostilities were the last thing in the air. Before departing, Mt. Spokane coach Craig Dietz made plans to run with Tyson’s group.

“I was giving high-fives before the race,” Becker said. “It’s great to have 14 guys on your ‘team’ instead of seven.”

Fourth-place Nick Vollmer (17:18) led LC over Mt. Spokane and Rogers. By defeating Rogers 21-40, Mt. Spokane chalked up the school’s first win in any varsity sport.

The girls race, featuring fourthranked Mead and sixth-ranked LC, lost some luster when LC’s No. 1 runner, Jamie Borgan, rested her injured knee.

Mead seized the top three places, with Annie McCabe (20:23), Kelley Mattingly (20:36) and Rachae Probst (20:47) more than one-half minute ahead of the first Tigers runner, Jamie Rosenquist.

If Borgan had raced and won, Mead still would have had the edge.

“I want to make us a team of best friends,” said McCabe, who ran No. 4 last year. “That’s what we had last year.”

Mead and LC were the league’s state representatives last year.

“LC’s going to be good,” said Mead coach Wes Player. “I told my girls they’d be there at the end.”

In other GSL openers, top-ranked University and fourth-ranked Gonzaga Prep swept boys three-way meets while fifth-ranked University and ninth-ranked Shadle Park opened 2-0 with girls sweeps.

At Shadle, G-Prep’s boys nailed down five of the top six positions, led by Jim Rucker’s 15:47.5. Jeff Klages broke up the Prep pack, finishing third to guide the host Highlanders’ win over Central Valley.

Every point counted as Shadle’s girls nipped 10th-ranked G-Prep 26-29 and CV 25-30. Runner-up Lanaia Jones (19:49) and third-place Erin Krogel (20:08) led Shadle. Carly Barnes (19:38.3) topped the field for G-Prep, which edged CV 27-28 when No. 5 scorer Katie Mayer edged CV’s No. 5, Audra Fredrickson, by one second.

At Ferris, U-Hi placed five boys in the top eight, including champion Seth Mott (15:59), who repeated the results of last weekend’s Highlander Invitational by edging Ferris’ Dan Schruth (16:01). Tyson Magney, in fourth, was the other Ferris runner in the top 10, but that was enough to edge North Central 27-29.

U-Hi’s girls pushed through six in the top 10, topped by runner-up Jaime Miller (19:24), to upend Ferris 27-31. Highlander Invite champion Emily Hawkins of Ferris smoked the field in 18:50.

Girls soccer

Raeanna Jewell scored twice, including a late-match breakaway, to guide CV (3-2) to a 3-2 comeback over visiting U-Hi (2-2) in a non-league match.

Leah Brereton’s goal and assist gave U-Hi a 2-0 lead that held up until Jewell scored at 30 minutes. CV tied the match on Jamie Danelo’s shot at 57 minutes.

In other non-league matches involving GSL teams, NC defeated Rogers 2-0; Ferris toppled Shadle 3-1; G-Prep stopped Mt. Spokane 3-0; and Mead defeated Lewis and Clark 4-0.

At NC, freshman Tia Teuben’s first career goal, at 11 minutes, sent the Indians (1-4) over visiting Rogers (2-4). Melissa Estrada fed Teuben, who caught the goalkeeper off guard. NC added a late goal as Lindsay Snider passed to Jennifer Weber - who typically plays in goal - for a corner kick.

At the Complex, Courtney Knox totaled two goals and one assist to help visiting Ferris (4-3) rally past Shadle (3-3). Shadle led the first 25 minutes, as Rachel Jones fed Kristen Hawley for her fifth goal of the year. Megan Cummings, with her sixth goal, tied the match after a feed from Knox. Bekah Hemingway assisted on Knox’s goals, at 33 and 39 minutes.

At Mt. Spokane, Lauren Umbdenstock and Danielle Mirabell finished with one goal and one assist apiece to guide a win for G-Prep (6-1). Elina Gee of the Wildcats (0-4) stopped eight Bullpups shots.

At Hart Field, Jaci Pelton and Natalie Kehl scored three minutes apart before halftime, giving a lift to visiting Mead (5-0) in its win over LC (2-3). The match remained at 2-0 until Kehl passed to Lindsay Drollinger for a shot from nine yards. The Panthers’ final score came off an own goal. Kehl has eight goals this year.

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